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by : PTI
India is embarking on a defence project to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carrying Laser Target Designators (LTDs) to be used by its Special Forces to accurately hit targets inside enemy territory.
The country's premier defence research agency, DRDO, is spearheading the project, in partnership with the Army, Navy and IAF's Special Forces, that aims to reduce the risk of losing personnel operating behind enemy lines.
"We are planning to base LTDs on UAVs to cut down the risk of our troops getting caught inside enemy territory while illuminating targets for attack and save the cost of sending another aircraft for doing the task," a senior Defence Ministry official told PTI.
The LTDs, at present, are carried inside enemy territory by Special Forces troops, who focus it on enemy targets for the Air Force's aircraft to drop a Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) to hit the target.
The other way of doing the special operation is to send in two aircraft -- one to illuminate the target with laser and the other to attack the target -- which turns out to be a costly proposition for the armed forces.
"It was realised that sending troops with the LTDs six to seven km close to highly-guarded targets behind enemy lines and then flying in an aircraft to attack it was quite risky and very expensive," the official said.
It was found that a UAV could fit the bill, as they can penetrate deep into enemy territory with minimal chance of being detected and can be operated from long distances using a remote. Moreover, there would be no loss of lives in the Special Forces troops, he said.
India is embarking on a defence project to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carrying Laser Target Designators (LTDs) to be used by its Special Forces to accurately hit targets inside enemy territory.
The country's premier defence research agency, DRDO, is spearheading the project, in partnership with the Army, Navy and IAF's Special Forces, that aims to reduce the risk of losing personnel operating behind enemy lines.
"We are planning to base LTDs on UAVs to cut down the risk of our troops getting caught inside enemy territory while illuminating targets for attack and save the cost of sending another aircraft for doing the task," a senior Defence Ministry official told PTI.
The LTDs, at present, are carried inside enemy territory by Special Forces troops, who focus it on enemy targets for the Air Force's aircraft to drop a Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) to hit the target.
The other way of doing the special operation is to send in two aircraft -- one to illuminate the target with laser and the other to attack the target -- which turns out to be a costly proposition for the armed forces.
"It was realised that sending troops with the LTDs six to seven km close to highly-guarded targets behind enemy lines and then flying in an aircraft to attack it was quite risky and very expensive," the official said.
It was found that a UAV could fit the bill, as they can penetrate deep into enemy territory with minimal chance of being detected and can be operated from long distances using a remote. Moreover, there would be no loss of lives in the Special Forces troops, he said.